The term “methadone clinic” seems to be an extremely straightforward term. A methadone clinic is a clinic where one gets methadone.
Case closed, right?
Actually, case still open.
Yes, a methadone clinic is a clinic where a person can get methadone. A methadone clinic is a place where individuals who are struggling with opioid addiction can access a medication (methadone) that allows them to get through the day free from either craving or withdrawal symptoms.

But in many cases, a methadone clinic is much more than that. In addition to providing methadone, a methadone clinic may also offer counseling, therapy, job training, legal assistance, education, other forms of medication, and more.

In fact, the term “methadone clinic” itself is being replaced at many facilities, which are promoting the breadth and depth of services offered by branding themselves as medically assisted recovery centers or comprehensive treatment centers.

One of the first reasons to prompt a re-evaluation of the term “methadone clinic” is that many programs now offer a variety of medications to help addicted individuals repress cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Though the staple of the methadone clinic “” methadone “” remains among the most carefully studied and documented medications in the addiction recovery field, recent advancements have led to an array of options.

In addition to methadone, many clinics now offer Suboxone/Subutex, buprenorphine, and Vivitrol. As is the case with methadone, these three drugs serve the dual purpose of repressing drug cravings while also keeping withdrawal symptoms at bay. None of these substances “cure” addiction “” instead, they allow the addicted individual to live a drug-free life while (ideally) getting help for other issues that either led to or were caused by their substance abuse.

The availability of assistance with these other problems is another reason that the term methadone clinic is being phased out in some places. While a methadone clinic sounds like a place to get medication and leave, the term “comprehensive treatment clinic” signals the presence of a range of additional services.

In many former methadone clinics, patients can (or in some cases are required to) attend therapy, participate in counseling sessions, and get help job training, legal problems, professional licensure, family dynamics, and myriad other issues that are related to the drug addiction.